Gwangmyeong’s Leap into Citizen Sovereignty

A New Era of Citizen Sovereignty

Did you know Gwangmyeong is pioneering a model where citizens shape every policy step by step
According to recent reports from Pressian and FN News, Mayor Park Seungwon emphasized that health goes beyond the body to include shared responsibility for community and city sustainability
UNESCO’s ESD recognition and a UN University RCE Award underscore how this city’s philosophy drives both local pride and global attention

Insights from Gwangmyeong Autonomy College

Autonomy College celebrated its 6th year with 124 new students enrolled in five cutting-edge departments
Citizen Education, Community Building, Carbon Neutrality, Garden City and Social Economy programs blend theory, debate and hands-on projects to cultivate the next wave of civic leaders
Journalists from Aju News, Newsis and FN Today highlighted how this platform transforms lifelong learning into civic action

Voices from the Community

How do citizens feel about taking the lead in city governance?
On Naver blogs, posts by the city hall and fmbkoreatv drew over 1,200 comments, with roughly 85 percent celebrating the collaborative spirit and sustainable focus, while 15 percent raised practical concerns about time commitments
A reader remarked that the blend of local history, carbon-neutral gardening and social enterprise sparked fresh curiosity in community activism

Building Future Leaders

What can other cities learn from Gwangmyeong’s journey?
By anchoring policy in citizen learning, Gwangmyeong forges a resilient governance model that invites everyone to question, innovate and co-create their urban future
International readers can draw inspiration from this Korean example of lifelong learning culture meeting sustainable development challenges